Cessna 172L accident near Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, March 6, 1994
On March 6, 1994 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N19679, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISCONNECTION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE FROM THE CARBURETOR AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS WERE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION NOT PERFORMED, AND COMPLACENCY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1994 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N19679 · registry record · serial 17260662
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE THIRD OF THREE FLIGHTS TO GIVE EACH OF THE PASSENGERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT UP FRONT WHILE IN FLIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT AT 1800 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, WENT TO IDLE AND DID NOT RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE, CARBURETOR HEAT, MIXTURE, AND FUEL SELECTOR CHANGES. A FORCED LANDING WAS PERFORMED TO AN OPEN FIELD. AS THE AIRPLANE CROSSED A ROAD PERPENDICULAR TO ITS FLIGHT PATH, THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK AND BROKE THE TOP STRANDS OF BARBED WIRE FENCES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE ROD-END WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED FROM THE THROTTLE ARM, AND THE SHANK BOLT WAS IN PLACE WITH NO DAMAGE TO ITS THREADS. THE AIRPLANE ANNUAL INSPECTION AND TWO AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES WERE 16 MONTHS OVERDUE. THE PILOT'S RECORDS REVEALED THAT IT HAD BEEN 55 MONTHS SINCE HIS LAST MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED, AND 35 MONTHS SINCE HIS LAST BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 870 hours in all; 623 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 825 as pilot in command; 46 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,961 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 1991; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from LEX, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC94LA054.